KPD e-News Release: Man Who Injured Two Elderly Pedestrians in July Parking Lot Crash Now Facing New Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Charges

Man Who Injured Two Elderly Pedestrians in July Parking Lot Crash Now Facing New Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Charges

DATE:

September 6, 2018

CASE #:

18-019823 Crash Report

18-019826 Crash Incident/Arrest Report

18-023539 Sexual Exploitation Incident/Arrest Report

GENERAL NARRATIVE

On July 7, 2018, Skylar Hawk Sexton was arrested for 1) Reckless Aggravated Assault (2 counts), 2) Driving Under the Influence, and 3) Failure to Maintain Control of a Motor Vehicle as a result of his role in a Colonial Heights parking lot crash that seriously injured two elderly pedestrians. During that crash investigation, Mr. Sexton had openly acknowledged that he had been utilizing his cell phone at the time of the crash.

As a result of that revelation, Crash Investigators from the K.P.D. Traffic Unit obtained a search warrant for an electronic forensic examination of Mr. Sexton’s cell phone for evidence of use at the time of the crash. During that examination, Detectives from the K.P.D. Criminal Investigations Division discovered several images of children, under the age of 18, in various stages of undress on Mr. Sexton’s cell phone.

Based upon this new-found evidence, Detectives conducted a parallel inquiry into Mr. Sexton’s possession of child pornography. After further investigation, to include an interview with Mr. Sexton, K.P.D. Detectives presented their findings to a Sullivan County Grand Jury, which subsequently returned a true bill of indictment for 14 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.

On August 31, 2018, a capias was issued for Mr. Sexton’s arrest. On September 6, 2018, Mr. Sexton was arrested at his Jonesborough residence by the Washington County, TN Sheriff’s Office. He was transported to the Kingsport City Jail where he will remain confined, pending arraignment, in lieu of an additional $10,000 bond as specified on the capias.

As previously released:

On July 7, 2018 at approximately 3:00 PM, Kingsport Police Patrol Officers responded to a motor vehicle collision that had occurred in the parking lot of a shopping center, located in the 4300 block of Fort Henry Drive, in the Colonial Heights area of Kingsport. Due to the severity of injuries sustained by two elderly pedestrians, the K.P.D. Traffic Unit was called to the scene. Their subsequent investigation revealed the following:

A 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pickup, driven by Skylar Hawk Sexton, was traveling along Fort Henry Drive and made a right turn into the shopping center parking lot. Mr. Sexton is believed to have been unfamiliar with the area and was following directions given by the GPS on his cellular telephone. As he entered the parking lot, he became confused, jumped a curb, lost control, and depressed the gas pedal instead of the brake pedal.

Mr. Sexton’s pickup first struck a 2001 Jeep Wrangler (legally parked and unoccupied). His vehicle continued across the parking lot, jumped two more curbs, and struck a second vehicle, a 2004 Kia Sorrento (legally parked and unoccupied), knocking it into the H&R Block business at 4307 Fort Henry Drive. Two elderly pedestrians (80 year old male and 88 year old female), who had been standing next to the Kia, were struck and seriously injured in the process.

Mr. Sexton’s vehicle continued on and struck a third vehicle, a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe (legally parked and unoccupied), before finally coming to a stop. The two pedestrians were transported by Sullivan County EMS to an area medial facility for emergency medical treatment and currently remain hospitalized. The man appears to have sustained a broken hip while the woman is believed to have sustained a head injury.

After extensive further investigation, to include crash reconstruction analysis, field sobriety testing, and interviews, Mr. Sexton was arrested and charged with 1) Reckless Aggravated Assault (2 counts), 2) Driving Under the Influence, and 3) Failure to Maintain Control of a Motor Vehicle. He was booked into the Kingsport City Jail, but was later transferred to the Sullivan County Jail in Blountville. He has since been released after posting a $31,000 bond.

As this remains an open and active investigation by the K.P.D. Traffic Unit, no additional details will be released at this time.

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